baclofen pump recall

CAUTION. Please let your caregivers know what would happen if your pump malfunctioned…either overdosed or shut down. We didn’t and it almost cost my son his life.

And do not depend on an alarm signing. As we recently found out, many of these pumps have problems with the batteries and his particular pump was recalled. But the hospital, his pump manager, never told us.

Here is our situation. My son has a baclofen pump. It was set at 350 when we believe it shut down without sounding an alarm. He became very rigid with a high fever and was hallucinating. We didn't know these were signs of baclofen withdrawal but the terrible thing is that the hospital didn't know it either. They said it was the flu. After 4 days in the hospital, he went into a coma and we believe it was from the pump now over-dosing him. The hospital said it was weakness resulting from the flu. He was transferred to a teaching hospital where he became consciences as the reduced the baclofen dosage, but it took almost 6 weeks before he was well enough for rehab. His incident remains undiagnosed.

He is being completely weaned off baclofen and scheduled to have the pump removed. His dosage is down to 25 and the pump will be removed next month. Surprising thing is that he is controlling his spasms and is much stronger. He is able to rehab.